Straining means



y 13, 1952 c. F. DINLEY 2,596,661

STRAINING MEANS Filed Aug. 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 PH, A um My u uW- h 1 &3 f g; Zz h i Q 7 7 I 36 .37 I ;,.25 i" i 52 32 gig g 55 19 2055way 515 :5 25 3 55 INVENTOR:

' 55 flazwweED/flifly,

' 16' BY W ATTORNEYS.

C. F. DINLEY STRAINING MEANS May 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug.27, 1946 Patented May 13, 1952 UNI TED s as OE'FHQ STRAINING 'MEANSClarence F. Dinley, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Detrex Corporation,Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to straining means. More particularly it has todo with straining means intended for use in connection with solventextraction apparatus of the type shown and described in Patent 2,447,845granted to me on August 24, 1948, wherein continually fed divided solidmaterial such as flaked soy beans, nuts, etc. or seeds of various kindsare treated incident to progression, by a screw conveyor, through.ilowing liquid solvent such as trichlorethylene, perchlorethylene orthe like in an elongate extraction trough for removal therefrom of oilsand/or other desired substances, and wherein the contaminated solvent ormiscella is strained incident to withdrawal or discharge from thetrough. The means relied upon in the apparatus for straining themiscella includes a screen of wire mesh fabric maintained in peripheralrubbing contact with the threads of the screw conveyor,

said screen being sinuously contoured and thus continually wiped and.vibrated by the action of the conveyor threads so as to be kept clean ofadhering particles of the solid material. While the operation of thisstraining means is entirely satisfactory and effective, the screenfabric eventually wears out and so requires frequent replacements whichnecessitates shutting down of the apparatus from time to time withcorresponding curtailment of its production.

The chief aim of my present invention is to overcome the foregoingdrawbacks, which desideratum is realized in practice as hereinafter morefully disclosed, through provision of an improved straining meanswherein a screen diaphragm surrounds a portion of the screw conveyor asbefore but without actually contacting the conveyor threads, and whereina separate means continually vibrates the diaphragmto shake off adheringparticles of the material and prevents the screen from becoming clogged.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the followingdescription of the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of top plan showing an end portion of thehorizontal extraction trough of a processing apparatus similar to thatof the aforementioned application, with a straining means convenientlyembodying the present improvements, part of the trough cover having beenbroken out to expose underlying parts.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the organization taken as indicatedby the angled arrows 11-11 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrowsIlI-III in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sections taken as indicated respectively bythe angled arrows IV-IV, V-V, and VI-VI in Fig. 1.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and -6,'showing analternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1-6 of these illustrat-ions, the numeral 10designates the extraction trough of the apparatus which, in practice,may be fashioned from non-corrosive sheet metal or the like U-shapedcross section as shown in Fig. 4 with outwardly projecting longitudinalflanges l I, at the top and which is provided with a removable coverplate [2 held in place by screw bolts l-3 passing through said flanges.By suitable means (not shown) the particles of divided material to betreated are continually introduced into liquid solvent contained in thetrough, through an opening Ill in the cover plate l2 for progressionrightward in Fig. 1 by a rotary screw conveyor [5 whereof the threadsare conformative with the trough bottom, the solvent continually flowingin the opposite direction and being maintained at a constant level L ator slightly above the top of the conveyor thread.

At the illustrated end, the trough ii.- is reduced as at 43, tosemi-circular cross section of somewhat smaller radius and there formedwith transversely aligned lateral ofisets ll, with resultant provisionof a pocket It for reception of the straining means with which thepresent invention is more especially concerned. Operative in this pocket58 is a conveyor section it of small radius to conform with the smallerradius of the trough bottom at that point, the shaft 29 of the conveyorhaving releasably coupled thereto at 2! an extension 22' which passesout through a fluid sealed stufiing box bearing 23 in the end wall 24 ofthe trough for application of suitable means (not shown) for driving it.

Fitting into the pocket, with clearance all around 18, is a strainer box25 which is cruciform in plan and which has imperforate side, end andbottom walls 25, 2'1 and 28 and a recticulate top 29 of wire meshscreening. From Figs. 5 and 6 it will be noted that the box 25 isprovided in its bottom with a central opening 30 and that its end walls2'! have arcuate cut outs 3| to conform with the smaller diameter threadtoured to extend over the upper half of the portion of IS the screwconveyor l5. The screen box 25 is supported within the pocket l8 at theregion of its corners by four screws 33 which are threadedly engaged instufiing boxes 39 at the bottom of the pocket I8, see Fig. 6. By meansof these screws 38, the box 25 is, in practice, regulatable verticallyto position the straining diaphragm 31 in close proximity to theconveyor, care being however taken to insure a working clearance andthus prevent contact with the conveyor threads [9 as the box is vibratedby the means about to be described. Anchored centrally of a bridge bar40 which connects arcuate end portions 35 of the screen supporting frame33 at their tops, is a rod 4| which extends freely up through anupstanding apertured boss 42 on the removable longitudinally-dividedcover plate 43 which closes the pocket [8 and which at its upper endcarries an electric vibrator 45. This vibrator 45 may be of any suitablecommercial type and hence need not be described in detail herein. Inorder to prevent escape of solvent vapors, the protruding end of the rod4! is enclosed within a flexible sealing tube 46 which may be of rubberor the like and whereof the ends are fitted over and respectivelysecured, with the aid of clamp bands 41 and 48, circumferentially ofboss 42 of the pocket cover E3 and to a pendent boss 49 on the base ofthe bracket 50 of the vibrator 45. In order to allow free play of therod ii, a circular opening is provided for its passage through thescreen top 25 of the box 25, the edge of said opening being finished offwith a reinforcing marginal band 52 of sheet metal.

The strained miscella drains from within the screen box through standpipes 53 whereof the lower ends are threaded into tapped boses 55 at thebottoms of the olfsets I! as shown in Fig. 5, and which are in directcommunication with draw off pipes 56 threaded to said bosses frombeneath. In addition to serving as out-flow means for the miscella, thestand pipes 53 determine the level at which the solvent is maintained inthe extraction trough l0, and in order that this level may be adjustedto a nicety, said pipes are provided at the top with regulatable tubularscrew nipples 57 having polygonal heads for wrench application inadjustment. Referring again to Fig. 5, the stand pipes 53 extend throughclearance apertures 58 in upstanding bosses 59 at the bottom of thestrainer box 25 and are surrounded by tubular sleeves 65 of leak proofjustment of the latter by means of the screws 38.

At their upper ends the sleeves 60 are circumferentially clamped by nuts6| on the stand pipes 53 and their lower ends are engaged over thebosses 59 wheretothey are secured by clamp bands 62.

The vibrator herein shown by way of example is of course to be regardedas typical of others which may be substituted if desired or foundconvenient in actual practice.

In the operation of the extractor, the particles of finely dividedextractable material continually introduced into the solvent in thetrough ID at a uniform definite rate such that they are free to moveabout in the liquid, are advanced by the conveyor [5 asbefore stated,rightward against the counter flow of the solvent. Some of the smallerand lighter particles of the material will nevertheless follow thesolvent into the pocket l8. In moving toward the stand pipes 53, thesesmaller particles must pass to the diaphragm 31 where they are strainedout of the miscella. Due to being impelled by the flow of the miscella,the particles obviously tend to collect on the under surface of thediaphragm 35. However, the hammer-like blows constantly imparted to thestrainer box 25 by the action of the electric vibrator 45 cause arippling or wave effect inthe diaphragm as a consequence of which thegathering particles are shaken loose so that they can be diverted backinto the trough proper I5, by the double thread i5, into the province ofthe main thread of the conveyor l5. By the latter, they are carried tothe opposite end (not shown) of the trough for removal with the rest ofthe extracted material, for example, by the means and in the mannerdisclosed in my copending application hereinbefore mentioned. The fabricemployed for the diaphragm is preferablyv of the plain single wovensquare mesh variety whereof the interstices are distorted by thevibration and so squeeze out the material particles and prevent theirpassage with the miscella to the overflow pipes 53.

In the alternative embodiment of Figs. '7 and 8, the strainer box 25a,instead of being supported from beneath as in the first describedconstruction, is hung from the cover of the pocket at corners bysuspension rods 65. As shown, these rods are anchored at their lowerends in bosses B5 welded to or otherwise formed on the bottom of thestrainer box 25a, and for their passage, clearance openings 6'! and 58are provided respectively in the screen top 29a of said box and in thecover plate 43a of the pocket I8a. Interposed between the cover plate43a and nuts 69 threadedly engaging the upper protruding ends of thesuspension rods 65 are sleeve elements 10 of resilient material such asrubber. These sleeve elements 10 snugly embrace the rods 65 and seal theopenings 68 against leakage of solvent vapors through them from thepocket 18a. If desired or deemed necessary, the sleeves 10 may be bondedto the pocket cover 43a. Adjustment of the nuts 69 will, it will beseen, result in the raising or lowering of the strainer box 25a relativeto the conveyer l5a. In all other respects the alternative constructionis identical with that of the first described form of my invention,wherefore, in order to preclude the necessity for repetitivedescription, all other parts not specifically referred to are identifiedby the same numerals previously employed except for the addition in eachinstance of the letter a for convenience of more ready distinction.

It is to be understood that I do not consider myself limited to theprecise details of the two constructions which I have shown anddescribed for the purposes of exemplifying my invention, since these aresusceptible of considerable variation within the scope of the broader ofthe appended claims, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in thesolvent extraction art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a round bottomed horizontal trough, a rotaryscrew conveyer coaxial with the trough bottom fcr advancing dividedsolid matter therealong suspended in treating liquid, and a dischargeoutlet for maintaining the level of the liquid somewhat above the top ofthe conveyer thread; of a straining element in the form of a boxsupported within the trough over the conveyer and the liquid outlet,saidbox having side and end walls; and a diaphragm of finely meshed screenfabric at the bottom arched over a portion of the conveyer withintervention of a substantial working clearance to prevent contact withthe conveyer, and means for vibrating the straining element.

2. The invention according to claim 1, in which the trough has a cover;in which the straining element has a stem extending upward through thetrough cover; and in which the vibrating means is connected to theprotruding upper end of the stem.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which the trough has a lateralofiset in which the outlet is located, in which the outlet is in theform of a stand pipe, in which the strainer box extends into the offsetof the trough over the stand pipe and has a solid bottom portion with aclearance opening through which the stand pipe passes, and in which asleeve of flexible finely meshed fabric loosely surrounds the stand pipewith its lower end secured around the clearance opening in the bottom ofthe strainer box and its upper end secured around the top of said standpipe to permit vibration of the box.

4. The invention according to claim 1 further including a plurality ofset screws threadedly engaged in the bottom of the trough and adjustablysupporting the strainer box from beneath.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which the trough has a lateraloffset wherein the outlet is located, in which the outlet is in the formof a stand pipe, in which the strainer box extends into the offset ofthe trough over the stand pipe and has a solid bottom portion with aclearance opening for the stand pipe, in which a sleeve of flexiblefinely meshed fabric loosely surrounds the stand pipe with its lower endsecured around the clearance opening in the bottom of the strainer boxand its upper end secured around-the top of said stand pipe to permitvibration of the box, and in which the stand pipe is provided at the topwith an adjustable extension by which the level of the liquid in thetrough may be regulated.

6. The invention according to claim 1, in which the trough has a cover;in which the straining element has a stem extending upward through anopening in the trough cover; in which the vibrating means is connectedto the protruding upper end of the stem; and in which a sealing meansforms a fluid-tight connection around the opening in the trough cover.

6 7. The invention according to claim 1, in which the trough has acover; in which the straining element has a stem extending up through aclearance opening in the cover; in which the vi-.

brating means is connected to the protruding upper end of the stem; andin which a flexible sealing tube freely surrounds the stem with one endsecured about said clearance opening in the trough cover and the otherend secured about a pendant boss of the vibrating means.

8. The invention according to claim 1, in which the trough has a cover;in which the straining element has a stem extending upward through anopening in the trough cover; in which the vibrating means is connectedto and supported upon the protruding upper end of the stem; and furtherincluding means whereby the straining element and the vibrating meansare vertically adjustable together in respect to the trough.

9. The invention according to claim 1, in which the trough has a cover;in which the straining element has a stem extending up through aclearance opening in the cover; in which the vibrating means isconnected to and supported by the protruding upper end of the stem; inwhich a flexible sealing tube freely surrounds the stem with one endsecured about said clearance opening and the other end secured about apendant boss of the vibrating means; and further including means wherebythe straining element and the vibrating means are vertically adjustabletogether in respect to the trough.

CLARENCE F. DINLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 939,576 Wheelwright Nov. 9, 19091,024,230 Turner et a1. Apr. 23, 1912 1,971,090 Zivicky et a1. Aug. 21,1934 2,066,364 Rafton Jan. 5, 1937 2,090,767 Sayers et al Aug. 24, 19372,146,692 Tiedman' Feb. 7, 1939 2,167,236 Gieseler July 25, 19392,183,837 Hamilton et a1. Dec. 19, 1939 2,230,397 Hutchinson Apr. 21,1942 2,447,845 Dinley Aug. 24, 1948

